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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Birdman of Alcatraz -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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For those who consider themselves both cinephiles and connoisseurs of the work of Burt Lancaster, John Frankenheimer's Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) is essential viewing.

Magnificently photographed in black & white by Burnett Guffey, the film has made its way to Blu-ray in very nice, but not perfect, fashion from MGM via Twilight Time.

No real problems here.  Just a bit of dirt, and an image that appears to be off a nice fine grain.

Had 1962 not been a year of such other stellar performances, Mr. Lancaster might well have walked off with the Best Actor nod.

A great film, that should be in every serious collection.

Image - 4.25

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

Robert Crawford

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Robert Harris said:
For those who consider themselves both cinephiles and connoisseurs of the work of Burt Lancaster, John Frankenheimer's Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) is essential viewing.

Magnificently photographed in black & white by Burnett Guffey, the film has made its way to Blu-ray in very nice, but not perfect, fashion from MGM via Twilight Time.

No real problems here. Just a bit of dirt, and an image that appears to be off a nice fine grain.

Had 1962 not been a year of such other stellar performances, Mr. Lancaster might well have walked off with the Best Actor nod.

A great film, that should be in every serious collection.

Image - 4.25

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Highly Recommended

RAH
It was probably one of the strongest years acting-wise as you can make an excellent case that all of the nominees deserved an award that year.
 

jauritt

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Robert Harris said:
Had 1962 not been a year of such other stellar performances, Mr. Lancaster might well have walked off with the Best Actor nod.
I certainly agree that Lancaster's performance is Oscar-worthy, but besides the fact that his competition for Best Actor, as noted, was fierce (had Gregory Peck not won, Peter O'Toole certainly would have for Lawrence of Arabia) the odds were even more against him having won just two years earlier for Elmer Gantry.
 

ljgranberry

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At least five other actors deserved nominations that year:Laurence Harvey - The Manchurian CandidateJames Mason - LolitaRobert Mitchum - Cape FearRobert Preston - The Music ManRalph Richardson - Long Day's Journey into Night
 

Robert Crawford

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ljgranberry said:
At least five other actors deserved nominations that year:Laurence Harvey - The Manchurian CandidateJames Mason - LolitaRobert Mitchum - Cape FearRobert Preston - The Music ManRalph Richardson - Long Day's Journey into Night
Like Nick Redman stated on the commentary, 1962 was one of the greatest years cinema-wise.
 

Alan Tully

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Robert Crawford said:
Like Nick Redman stated on the commentary, 1962 was one of the greatest years cinema-wise.
...& then came 1963. The first half of the sixties was just stunning, & the second half wasn't too shabby either.
 

haineshisway

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As I've said many time, for me 1962 IS the greatest year in the history of movies. In fact, Nick has heard me say it many times :) I've been lucky enough to release a lot of soundtracks from that year, and every time I write those liner notes I say it again.
 

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